The MetaNetz project is a joint cooperation funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), in which BMO (AG Miura) and MLL (AG Brinkmann) conduct joint research, together with the Eye Clinic of the UKSH, Campus Lübeck, and several industrial partners. Eye diseases such as of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or diabetic retinopathy (DR), which results in severe vision impairment or even loss of vision if untreated, represent a great burden for the affected person.
A diagnostic and therapeutic application with optical technologies in terms of very early detection and early minimally invasive laser application is considered a promising approach. The long-term goal of the collaborative work is to significantly reduce the number of patients with severe retinal diseases and associated visual impairments.
In this network, the first signs of metabolic changes in the retina, which occur before structural or subjective changes are noticed, will be detected by measuring the retinal autofluorescence decay time (i.e. the time change of the natural fluorescence without the addition of dye). The so-called Fluorescence Lifetime Ophthalmoscopy (FLIO) is an innovative, new imaging technique and potentially very promising diagnostic method and is being investigated at the BMO. Therapeutically, there are promising approaches using different laser techniques that stimulate the ocular fundus or selectively stimulate cells to regenerate. For this purpose, green-emitting high-power laser diodes are used, which have only recently become available. Due to their fast modulation, they should be very flexible for retinal stimulation. A clinical study with the new technologies is planned at the eye clinic towards the end of the project.
Own publications, peer reviewed:
1. Hutfilz A, Lewke B, Brinkmann R, Miura Y. Change in fluorescence lifetime of retinal pigment epithelium under oxidative stress. J Jap Ophthal Soc accepted 27-9-2018.
2. Tode J, Richert E, Koinzer S, Klettner A, von der Burchardt C, Brinkmann R, Lucius R, Roider J. Thermal Stimulation of the Retina Reduces Bruch’s Membrane Thickness in Age Related Macular Degeneration Mouse Models. TVST 2018; 7(3):1-16..
3. Kern K, Mertineit CL, Brinkmann R, Miura Y. Expression of heat shock protein 70 and cell death kinetics after different thermal impacts on cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells. Exp Eye Res 2018; 170:117-126.
4. Iwami H, Pruessner J, Shiraki K, Brinkmann R, Miura Y. Protective effect of a laser-induced sub-lethal temperature rise on RPE cells from oxidative stress. Exp Eye Res 2014; 124:37-47.
